Can Someone Fix my Bulbous Nose? (photo)

I'm hoping that there's a plastic surgeon who can fix my bulbous nose. I know that surgeons have trouble with these types of noses, which are common in more ethnic cultures. How realistic is it to assume that this can be fixed significantly enough to justify the cost of surgery? I sometimes see before and afters of bulbous noses where not much has changed. I live in Canada.

Doctor Answers 13

The bulbous tip rhinoplasty

February 26th, 2013

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A bulbous tip can be addressed through suturing techniques of the lower lateral cartilages, and removal of cartilage when necessary to affect the refinement and change of the tip. It is also important to make sure that the remainder of the nose is in balance with the new tip, so a full rhinoplasty is sometimes necessary. The morphed pictures too much of a pinched nose that is not obtainable. For other examples of bulbous tip rhinoplasty in our practice please see the link below

Improvement of Bulbous Tip

February 26th, 2013

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A bulbous tip can be improved but the results will depend on the skill of the surgeon and the thickness of the skin. With all due respect, I feel the tip in your morphed result is a little too pinched at the nostril rim, but that will be decided with the help of your surgeon.

Refining the bulbous nose during rhinoplasty

February 25th, 2013

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Your tip can certainly be made smaller and more refined, and the width of your nostrils can also be reduced. The amount of nostril width reduction you have pictured is essentially closing off your airway to the point where you would have a difficult time breathing. Having an in-person consultation will give you a more accurate idea of what degree of change is possible.

You should not worry that you cannot have a more refined tip. I am not sure why you believe that this is so difficult to achieve. Any cosmetic plastic surgeon who is experienced in rhinoplasty should be capable of delivering a refined tip. The biggest risk that should not be taken is that the tip will be too narrow, pinched, twisted, and very unnatural. In the hands of an experienced nose surgeon, this would be very unlikely.

Correction of Bulbous Nasal Tip

March 16th, 2013

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Typically a virgin nose is relatively straight forward with regards to correction of a bulbous nasal tip. It usually requires removal of a small portion (not too much...) of the lower cartilage of the nose. In most but not all cases it could also require sutures to orient the tip correctly and provide a adequate contour for the best facial aesthetics. As someone mentioned above your final result depends on the skill of the rhinoplasty surgeon as well as your skin quality. Thicker skin will show some residual fullness despite contouring the tip cartilage well. So thinner skin will show better contour all other things being equal. Lastly, some cartilage may be needed to maintain the lower cartilage in the proper orientation like a supporting beam on a roof. Again, your surgeon's expertise here will be key in this decision.

Bulbous Tip Refinement

March 10th, 2013

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The bulbous tip is not an uncommon request, and it is not uncommon to get a result like the one you want. Find the plastic surgeon with ELITE credentials who performs hundreds of rhinoplasties each year. Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Can my bulbous nasal tip be made more attractive?

March 7th, 2013

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Nasal tips that are bulbous, round, too big and/or out of proportion to the rest of the nose are often the primary reason a patient consults a surgeon. Thick skin can contribute (it's hard to make it thinner!) but when the cartilages under the tip skin are excessively large and wide, (think over- sized McDonald's arches), then these can often be sculpted and made more refined. Your surgeon can help you decide if you are a candidate for surgery and if he/she is an appropriate surgeon for you.

Correcting a bulbous tip

February 28th, 2013

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It depends on just how small you want it. The tip can certainly be refined by a combination of techniques. Often the limiting factor is the thickness of the skin. Despite a great change to the internal framework, the skin is so thick that the work is camouflaged. Also, some ethnic types have small fat pads in the tip that add to the bulbous appearance. These can often be thinned with excision, but only so much can be removed before the viability of the skin is compromised. The best way to decide on whether to have the surgery or not is to see an experienced rhinoplasty surgeon and find out what to expect in your specific case.

Bulbous Tip Rhinoplasty

February 27th, 2013

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Bulbous tip is one of the most common complaints in rhinoplasty. It can almost always be made significantly better. The key is to maintain tip and alar support so you don't get pinching or external valve collapse. Good Luck!

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